Outlet box for air conditioning system



Feb. 7, 1961 B, E, CURRAN 2,970,531

OUTLET BOX FOR AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM Filed March 14, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet l xjiiji. 40

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, OUTLET BOX FOR AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM Filed March 14, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU f z Fla-1 IN V EN TOR. Bernard E Curran BY Flu RBA-qcm AT TORNE Y Feb. 7, 1961 B. E. cURRAN OUTLET BOX FOR AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM Filed March 14, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 n m R w of TE mlm mm m 4 U I iz. Q 4 a Q 2 3 a r DIMM 5 I Um ,HHH I 3 n Q m. F Um Q XIIHH Q M1 Q Um M U .HWP 1..-| .niv T .r 1 I V|\IL`\I AT To/QNE Y Feb. 7, 1961 s. E. cuRRAN OUTLET Box Fox AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM Filed March 14. 1957 4 Sheets-$heet 4 Quim .nvlllllflllll va Il IIIulIIIlI i IN V EN TOR.

Bernard E .Curran W x2 CEM fifi/EV United States Patent OUTLET BOX FOR AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM Bernard E. Curran, Sewickley, Pa., assignor to H. H. 'Robertson Company, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Maxx .14, 1957, Ser. No. 646,038

`7 Claims. (Cl. 98--38) This invention relates to a `novel outlet or sill box for luse in an air distributing system and particularly in an airconditioning system wherein air of different condition 4is supplied to and mixed within the outlet :or sill box.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a 4novel construction of outlet orV sill box for-thepurpose specified adapted to be used with advantage in mufiling the sound of the air stream being discharged from the outlet or sill box.

Afurther and more specific object of the invention is to provide a novel outlet `or sill box which is particularly fdesigned for use in connection with an air conditioning 'system of the type in which two streams of vdifferently Aconditioned air is supplied tothe outlet or sill `box to be mixed therein and discharged therefrom and wherein a major portion of the sound of the air streams is absorbed during the passage thereof through the sill box.

With these general objects in view and such others as 4tion of a iloor `of the air conditioning and building structure Vforming the subject matter of the Goemann Patent No. 2,729,429, dated January 3, 1956;

Fig. 2 is a detail partially in elevation and partially in section'illustrating the present sill box connected to anzair conducting cell of the structure shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view illustrating an outlet Vor sill box embodying the present invention which is -erected Vupon two air conducting floor cells of the Goemann patent above referred to and from which air of `different condition may be introduced into the sill box as will be described;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view of the outlet box -shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the outlet box showing a `modified form of baille unit;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a modified form of the baille` unit used in the present sill box as illustrated in Fig. 7 is a developed plan view of one-half of'the blank used inV producing the structure shown in Fig. v6 as will be described;

Fig. 8 is an` enlarged sectional view of the `outlet or sill box shown in Fig. 2; and

Fig. 9 is a vertical sectional view illustrating an outlet orsill box embodying the baille unit shown in Fig. 8 `:which is erected upon two air conducting iloor cells of the Goemann patent above referred to and from which Lair` of different condition may be introduced into thesill box as will'be described.

In generalthe invention contemplatesia novel construction of outlet box for an air distributing system, and as illustrated therein, the outlet box may be used as a com- Patented Feb. 7, 1961 .sill box in the broader aspects of the Vinvention comprises -a chamber 10preferably of` sheet metall, having an inlet opening 12 through which an air stream may bel introduced into the` sill box and an outlet opening 14 from which the air may be discharged into the room. In accordance with the present invention the interior walls` of the sill box may and preferably will be lined with sound absorbing material 15 preferably comprising hair of a thickness approximately one-quarter ofian inch. In order to `increase the sound absorbing eiliciency of the outlet box structure provision is preferably made for suspending one or more baille members within the chamber. Preferably, the baille or members may comprise a unitary structure 16 insertable through the opening 14 constituting the air outlet from the chamber and preferably supported by a ilange 18 engaging the outer surface'of the wall of the chamber surrounding the discharge outlet. Preferably, the baille members of the structure 16 maybe arranged to cross `one another at `anangle and thereby deflect air through slots 19 therein in directions angular with respect to one another so as to thoroughly mix air streams emerging through 'the slots into -the trough-like portions 20 of the structure 16 prior to discharge of the mixed ai `through the outlet from the chamber. In the air conditioning system illustrated in the Goemann patent, above referred to, it is desirable to'provide a structure of sill box having two inlet openings Y12, 12A through which-air of different condition may be introduced to within the sill box from air conducting cells 13, 13A of the cellular metal floor and through `which air of different condition is supplied. For such a purpose Ithe still box may comprise anielongated chamber having spaced inlet openings 12, 12A in the bottom wall thereof and a single elongated outlet 14 in the upper -wall thereof. The present baille structure may be suspended, as described, in the interior of the chamber and -held in operative position by engagement of anged portions thereof with the outer wall of the chamber surrounding the outlet opening. In one form of the invention, as shown in Figs. 6-9, the bafile structure `comprises `a troughlike portion 20 and depending angularly disposed bailles 16A, 16B, and one end portion of the baille structure is provided with a surface having a series ofslots 19 therein, and the surface is preferably sound absorbing as by a covering of hair of a thickness of approximately onequarter of an inch. The baflle is suspended at `an angle directly across the mouth of one inlet opening to which air of one condition is being introduced so that as the air enters the interior of the chamber through the inlet opening 12 its direction `is changed by the sound absorbing surface of the baille and deilected against the interior of the sound absorbing surface of the adjacent portion of the interior of the chamber `and thence through the slotted openings 19 into the troughlike mixing Ychamber immediately below the outletopening 14. The second portion of the baille structure is arranged toi stand, at a similar angle but in the opposite direction as theiilrst baille so that air entering the second inlet 12A is-dellected along the surface ofthe baille angularly suspended across the mouth of the inlet fand caused to engageand deflect from several walls of the adjacentportjion `of the chamber finally emerging through the slotted portion :of the second baiile into the interior of the mixing chamber immediately below the outlet where the emerging streams become thoroughly mixed prior to being discharged from the outlet or sill box.

In another form of the invention, as illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, the baffle structure comprises a troughlike portion 22 suspended within the outlet or sill box and having its upper portion in communication with the sill box out let 14. The troughlike portion 22 is provided with substantially straight parallel side Walls 24, 26 and angularly .disposed bottom walls 28, 30. The bottom walls 28, 30

are each provided with a plurality of spaced openings or slots 32 therein, and also the exterior surface thereof is vcovered with a layer of sound absorbing material 15,

the interior of the chamber and thence through the slotted portions 32 into the troughlike mixing chamber 22. The air flowing into the mixing chamber 22 through the slots 32 in the walls 28, 30 emerges through the slots into the mixing chamber in a substantially crisscross pattern, and in this manner sufficient turbulence is created within the chamber, and the air is thoroughly mixed prior to its discharge from the outlet or sill box through the outlet opening 14.

In a still further form of the present invention i1lustrated in Fig. 5, the baffle structure comprises a troughlike portion 34 having substantially straight parallel side Walls 36, 38 and a curved or arched bottom wall 40. The surface of the walls of the baflle structure is preferably covered by a layer of sound absorbing material 15, such as hair or other suitable material, and the curved bottom wall is provided with a plurality of spaced openings or slots 42 therein which may be similar to the openings illustrated in Fig. 3. The baffle structure is also adapted to be suspended within the chamber of the sill 'box in the manner heretofore described in connection with Fig. 4, and the curved slotted bottom wall 40 is preferably disposed over the air inlets 12, 12A through which air of the same condition or differently conditioned air is directed into the chamber 1t) from the air conducting cells 13, 13A as illustrated in Fig. 3. The air emerging from the inlets 12, 12A into chamber 10 is partially deflected by the curved bottom wall of the baffle structure against the sound absorbing walls of the chamber and then passes through the slots 42 into the troughlike mixing chamber 34. The slots 42 disposed in the curved Wall 40 are arranged in angular relation to one another such that the air emerging through the slotted portions ows into the mixing chamber 34 in a substantially crissy cross pattern and is thereby thoroughly mixed prior to being discharged from the sill box through the opening 14. While the slotted openings in the lower walls of the baflie structure have been illustrated and described as comprising spaced slots, they may be of any desired shape.

From the foregoing description it will be observed that the described structure of sill or outlet box is relatively s simple in construction; that the sound absorbing eiciency is higher; and that the bafiie structure being detachably Ysuspended on the sill box maybe maintained in most 1. An air outlet for an air distributing structure, comprising: a sill box having an air-receiving chamber and being provided with a plurality of air inlet openings for receiving differently conditioned air from a source of supply thereof and being provided with an air outlet opening for discharging said air to an area to be conditioned, said inlet and outlet openings being in different walls of said sill box, and an elongated baiiie unitmounted in said sill box in alignment with said outlet opening, said bale unit having end walls, and parallel side wall portions extending inwardly from adjacent said outlet opening and having outwardly diverging wall portions connected with the innermost part of said parallel wall portions,1fsa\id parallel and diverging Wall portions forming a mixing chamber in said baffle unit, said diverging wall portions having openings therein, at least a portion of the air stream entering said sill box chamber through the air inlet openings being deflected by a diverging wall portion toward a wall of said sill box chamber for subsequent discharge through the openings in said diverging wall portions into said mixing chamber to be discharged through the outlet opening.

2. An air 'outlet as defined in claim 1 in which the mixing chamber in thebale unit is of a length at least equal to the combined length of said inlet openings.

3. An air outlet as defined in claim 2 in which the outlet opening is substantially coextensive in length with the length of the mixing chamber.

-4. An air outlet as defined in claim l in which the baflie unit is inserted in the inlet opening and has pe# ripheral ange portions supporting the same in saidaotltf let opening. i

5. An air outlet for an air distributing structure,coin prising: a sill box having an air-receiving chamber and being providedwith a plurality of air inlet openings for receiving differently conditioned air from a source of supply thereof and being provided with an air outlet opening for discharging said air to an area to be conditioned, said inlet and outlet openings being in opposite walls of said sill box, and an elongated baille unit mounted in said sill box-in alignment with said outlet opening, said baffle unit having end Walls, and parallel side wall portions extending inwardly from adjacent said outlet opening and having outwardly diverging wall portions connected with the innermost part of said parallel wall portions, said parallel and diverging wall portions forming a mixing chamber in said baffle unit, said diverging wallportions having openings therein, at least a portion of the air stream entering said sill box chamber through the air inlet openings being deflected laterally by said diverging wall portions against the walls of said sill box chamber and thence through the openings in said diverging wall por tions into said mixing chamber to be discharged through the outlet opening.

6. An air outlet as defined in claim 5 in which` one of the diverging walls has an extension overlying a portion of one inlet opening and the other of the diverging walls has an extension overlying a portion of another inlet opening to provide a substantially cross flow pattern of the air within the mixing chamber. j

7. An air outlet as defined in claim 6 in which the parallel wall portions, the diverging wall portions and their respective extensions are covered on the outer sur face thereof with sound absorbing material.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 186,051 Mihan Jan. 9, 1877 2,443,071 Honerkamp et al. June 8, 1948 2,644,389 Dauphinee July 7, 1953 2,727,454 Jones Dec. '20, 1955 2,783,979 Blum Mar..5, 1957 2,813,474 Kurth et al. Nov. 19,".'1957 fv 

